Convertible compact cigarette making machine

ABSTRACT

A compact cigarette making machine for inserting a quantity of tobacco into a preformed cigarette tube is described. A tobacco receiving member is slidably retained within a base and movable longitudinally thereon to load tobacco into a cigarette tube secured to a nipple at its forward end. A cover is pivotally secured to the rearward end of the tobacco receiving member and slidable therewith with respect to the base. The cover is pivotally movable from an open position to a closed position overlying the tobacco receiving member. The cover is substantially of the same width as the base and has a pair of opposed inner tongues engagable under a respective elongated flange which projects inside the open channel-shaped base from opposed side walls thereof when the tobacco receiving member is retracted rearwardly over the base. An arresting member is provided in the bottom wall of the machine to permit the loading of tobacco in tubes of different length.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a small, lightweight injectiontype cigarette making machine wherein a supply of tobacco is compactedinto cylindrical form, and is injected into a preformed cigarette tubepositioned on the machine wherein the machine is adaptable to makecigarettes of different lengths.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The cigarette making machine of the present invention is animprovement of the machine described in my earlier U.S. Pat. No.4,771,793 issued on Sep. 20, 1988. This patent is the closest knownprior art. No machines of this type are known wherein at last twodifferent lengths of cigarettes can be formed with the same machine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0003] Some of the features of the present invention are to provide acigarette making machine which is very compact, easy to assemble, usesminimal plastic material in its fabrication and which can easily becustomized. The machine has a streamlined elongated rectangular bodywhich easily fits in the hand of the user and is operable with a singlehand, if desired. It can make at last two different lengths ofcigarettes by a simple length adjustment feature.

[0004] According to the above feature of the present invention there isprovided a compact cigarette making machine for compacting and insertinga quantity of tobacco into a preformed cigarette tube. The machinecomprises a base of upwardly open channel-shape and having forward andrearward ends and an elongate tobacco injection spoon having a free endand having a concave cross-section secured at a predetermined elevatedposition within the base and stationary therewith. A tobacco receivingmember is slidably retained within the base and movable to a positionextending longitudinally outwardly from the rearward end of the base.The tobacco receiving member has at its forward end a wall carrying ahollow circular nipple to receive the open end of a preformed cigarettetube. The free end of the injection spoon passes through the ,hollownipple during rearward movement of the tobacco receiving member withrespect to the base. Abutment means is associated with the rearward endof the base to arrest the travel of the tobacco receiving member. Anelongate slot is provided in and extends through the tobacco receivingmember to receive a quantity of tobacco. A cover is pivotally secured tothe rearward end of the tobacco receiving member and slidable therewithwith respect to the base. The cover is pivotally movable from an openposition to a closed position overlying the tobacco receiving member. Atobacco compacting projection is also provided and has a lower surfacewhich is concave in transverse cross section and is carried by the coverand closes the top portion of the elongated slot when the cover is inclosed position to compact tobacco inserted in the slot and onto thetobacco receiving member. A cigarette tube retainer is also provided andhas a circular concave surface on the cover forwardly of the tobaccocompacting projection. The concave surface of the retainer bears againstthe cigarette tube positioned on the nipple to hold the tube in positionduring tobacco injection. Retaining means are provided in a lowerportion of the base for slidingly engaging the tobacco receiving member.The cover has a pair of opposed inner tongues engagable under arespective elongated projection inside the open channel-shaped base fromopposed side walls thereof when the tobacco receiving member isretracted rearwardly over the base. An arresting means is disposed overan inner surface of the bottom wall and spaced from the rearward endthereof for contact with an arresting projection of the tobaccoreceiving member to shorten the rearward displacement of the tobaccoreceiving member whereby cigarette tubes of a shorter predeterminedlength can be used with the same cigarette making machine.

[0005] According to a further broad aspect of the present invention thearresting means is constituted by a removable abutment insert which ispositionable in an aperture formed in the bottom wall and spaced fromthe rearward end thereof.

[0006] According to a still further broad aspect of the presentinvention the arresting means is constituted by a pivotal stop memberhaving two arresting surfaces and pivotally secured over an innersurface of the bottom wall on a pivot. Adjustment means is provided todisplace the pivotal stop member on the pivot to position one of the twoarresting surfaces for arresting contact with the abutment means wherebyto accommodate cigarette tubes of differing lengths.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective frontal view of the cigarette makingmachine of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cigarette making machinein a loading position with the cover hinged outwardly;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cigarette making machine ofthe present invention and showing the tobacco receiving member partiallyretracted from the base;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing how the cigarette makingmachine of the present invention is operable by a single hand of a userperson;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the construction of the base;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tobacco receiving member whichis slidingly secured within the base as shown in FIG. 5;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the base member of the cigarette makingmachine;

[0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the removable abutment insert;

[0016]FIG. 9 is a partly fragmented bottom view showing the tobaccoreceiving member fully retracted and against the abutment insert;

[0017]FIG. 10 is a fragmented top view showing the tobacco receivingmember fully retracted without the abutment;

[0018]FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing the tobaccoreceiving member fully retracted but with the abutment in place;

[0019]FIG. 12 is a rear view of the base showing the position andconfiguration of the abutment wall formed integral with the base;

[0020]FIG. 13A is a fragmented view of the outer surface of the bottomwall adjacent the rear end edge thereof showing the position of theadjustment means for displacing the pivotal stop member; and

[0021]FIG. 13B is a fragmented top view showing the position of thepivotal stop member with respect to the arresting projection.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] With reference primarily to FIGS. 1 to 4, the cigarette makingmachine 1 consists of three major component parts comprising a hollowchannel-shaped base 2, a tobacco receiving member 4 which is slidablymovable in the base 2 from the forward position shown in FIG. 2 to arearwardly retractable position as demonstrated in the prior art patentreferred to above. A cover portion 6 is pivotally hinged to the rear ofthe tobacco receiving member 4 by suitable means such as pivot pin 8.

[0023] These three component parts 2, 4 and 6 may conveniently be moldedof suitable plastics material for economy of manufacture, although othermaterials such as metals could be used if desired. However, plastics isthe preferred material.

[0024] An injection spoon 10 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) is secured within base2 and is stationary therewith. The spoon which may be of metal orplastic is removably secured to the base to facilitate cleaning and/orreplacement if necessary. The spoon 10 is retained elevated from thebottom wall 16 of the base, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0025] The tobacco receiving member 4 carries at its forward end a wall,herein a removable partition 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 6), which is receivedin slots 20 provided on both sides of the front end 4′ of the tobaccoreceiving member 4. Secured to the partition 18 is a circular hollownipple 22 which is adapted for insertion into the open end of apreformed paper cigarette tube 50, shown in phantom lines and well knownin the art. The outer diameter of the nipple 22 is of a size to snuglyreceive the open end of a cigarette tube 50 thereover.

[0026] As partition 18 and nipple 22, which may be of plastic or metalas desired, are readily removable from the machine, cleaning and/orreplacement is facilitated.

[0027] Because the injection spoon 10 is securely held by the base, andas partition 18 and nipple 22 are movable with the tobacco receivingmember 4, rearward movement of the tobacco receiving member 4 withrespect to the base 2 will result in the free end 24 of the spoon 10passing through and extending beyond the nipple 22 and into the tube 50.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the central portion of the tobacco receivingmember 4 is provided with a top slot opening 26 with upper outwardlysloping surfaces 28. When the tobacco receiving member 4 is positionedforwardly within base 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the upwardly concave spoon10 is positioned directly beneath the slot 26 and a quantity of tobaccosufficient for one cigarette is positioned within slot 26 and pusheddownwardly into contact with the injection spoon 10. This positioning ofthe tobacco in the slot is facilitated by the inwardly sloping surfaces28 and also through the use of a tamper device (not shown) and asdescribed in my earlier patent.

[0029] As discussed above, the cover 6 is pivotally secured to thetobacco receiving member 4 and is movable from a closed position shownin FIG. 1 to an open position shown in FIG. 2. On its lower surface, thecover 6 is provided with a tobacco compacting projection 32 having alower surface 34 which is concave in cross-section and which is of asize to be received within the slot 26 provided in the tobacco receivingmember 4 when the cover is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 1. Inthis position, of course, the tobacco which is to be injected into apreformed cigarette tube is compacted and more or less shaped byconfinement within a cavity formed by the upper concave surface of thespoon 10, the side walls of the slot 26 and the lower concave surface 34of the tobacco compacting projection carried by the cover.

[0030] The cover 6 is of the same width as the base 2 and together theyform a compact, elongated, rectangular machine making it comfortable tograsp by the hand, as shown in FIG. 4 and can be operated by a singlehand, if desired. It is also easy to carry by a user person.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, bottom slot retaining means in the formof opposed ribs 31 are formed with and extend adjacent the bottom wall16 of the base whereby to retain captive thereunder, in the channel 34formed between the ribs 31 and the bottom wall 16, a respective one of apair of projecting feet 35 formed integral with the bottom corners ofthe tobacco receiving member 4. The forward end of the cover 6 has anenlarged section 6′ which is provided with ribs 7 on opposed side wall7′ thereof for finger gripping engagement. A pair of opposed innertongues 30 project from under the forward portion of the cover and areengagable under a respective elongated flange 32 projecting inside theopen channel-shaped base and formed adjacent the top edge 40 of the sidewalls 41 of the base, as clearly shown in FIG. 5. A lower rib 33 is alsoprovided spaced from the elongated flange 32 to form a guide channeltherebetween. When the cover is in its forward position, as shown inFIG. 1, these tongues 30 are disposed forward of the channel 32 andtherefore permitting the cover to be hinged outwardly to its loadingposition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The side walls 41 of the base mayalso be provided with ribs 42 for ease of gripping.

[0032] With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, it is pointed out thatin order to assemble the cigarette making machine, it is simplynecessary to slide the tobacco receiving member 4 into the base from theforward end thereof with the cigarette tube retainer 10 extendingthereunder and spaced above the bottom wall 16 of the base. The covermay then be assembled to the tobacco receiving member with the rear endof the cover having an abutment edge to abut the top rear edge 8″ of thebase member to prevent the tobacco receiving member from slidingforwardly out of the base.

[0033] During rearward movement of the cover 6 and tobacco receivingmember 4 with respect to the base 7 as shown in FIG. 4, a compacted wadof tobacco is injected into a preformed cigarette tube 50 positioned onthe nipple 22 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 5, the spoon 10 is providedwith a stop or abutment 46 which ensures that the tobacco positioned onthe spoon is carried into the cigarette tube.

[0034] A cigarette tube 50 is held in position on the nipple 22 by acigarette tube retainer 48 provided on the underside of the cover andforwardly of the tobacco compactor 32 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. When acigarette tube 50 is positioned on the nipple and the cover lowered, thecigarette tube retainer contacts the tip of the cigarette tube and holdsthe tube in position on the nipple during the injection process.Conveniently, the concave lower surface of the tube retainer may beprovided with a thin soft layer 51 (see FIG. 1) of a compressiblematerial such as sponge rubber or foam plastic to snugly secure the tube50 onto the nipple without danger of tearing the cigarette paper tube.

[0035] To use the machine, the cover 6 is first opened to the positionshown in FIG. 2, and the open end of a preformed cigarette tube 50 ispositioned on the nipple 22. Then, with the tobacco receiving member 4positioned completely within the base 2 as shown in FIG. 1, a supply oftobacco sufficient for one cigarette is placed into the tobaccoreceiving slot 26 and pressed into the slot either with the fingers orby using a tamper. The cover is then closed to the position shown inFIG. 1 wherein the cigarette tube retainer 48 contacts and holds the tipof a cigarette tube on nipple 22, as shown in FIG. 2. The base 2 of themachine is then held with one hand while the other hand slides the coverand the tobacco receiving member rearwardly with respect to the base toa fully retracted position. As discussed above, and as the injectionspoon 10 is stationary with respect to the base and as the cigarettetube is carried rearwardly by nipple 22, the forward portion of thespoon and the wad of tobacco (not shown) enter the cylindrical cavity ofthe cigarette tube.

[0036] The cover is then moved forwardly with respect to the base to theforward position shown in FIG. 1 retracting the spoon only form the tube50, and the cover raised (see FIG. 2) to remove the tube retainer 48from the cigarette tube 50 to permit removal of the filled cigarettefrom the nipple.

[0037] As previously described, because of the compactness of thedesign, a cigarette may be formed using a single hand, as shown in FIG.4. The index finger 54 is positioned over the enlarged front end 6′ ofthe cover and the thumb 55 under the base. The cover 6 is pulled back inthe direction of arrow 56 while the thumb 55 pushes the base 2 forwardin the direction of arrow 57.

[0038] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a bottom view of the base2 and wherein the bottom wall 16 is provided with a rectangular aperture60 adjacent an abutment wall or abutment projection 61 projectinginwardly between the vertical side walls of the base 2 and at the rearend 62 of the base. A removable abutment insert 63, as shown in FIG. 8,is frictionally engageable within the aperture 60. The abutment insertis formed of plastics material and dimensioned for close friction fitwithin the aperture 60 and it defines a rectangular projecting body 64provided with opposed flanges 65 and 65′ projecting from a lower surface66 thereof. The flanges 65 and 65′ constitute finger engaging means whenthe abutment insert 63 is held captive within the aperture. The flanges65 and 65′ abut against the bottom wall 16 of the base 2 on opposedlongitudinal sides of the aperture 60. The upper surface of therectangular projecting body 64 has a concavity 67 therein to permit thepassage of an arresting projection 68 (see FIG. 9) projecting from alower end of a front wall 69 of the tobacco receiving member 4.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 9, the insert 63 is hereinshown in phantom lineswhereby to indicate its position with respect to the abutment wall 61and the arcuate arresting projection 68. As shown in FIG. 9, with theinsert 63 in position, the front wall 69 of the tobacco receiving member4 is arrested a predetermined distance from the abutment wall 61. Thisdistance is equivalent to the difference between the length of twodifferent length cigarette tubes to be injected by the same machine aswill be described hereinbelow.

[0040] With additional reference now to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, there isshown in FIGS. 10 and 11 top views of portions of the cigarette makingmachine which illustrates the rearward displacement of the tobaccoreceiving member 4 without the insert in FIG. 10 and with the insert inFIG. 11. When the insert is in position, as shown by the phantom lines63 in FIG. 9, the rearward travel distance of the tobacco receivingmember 4 is shorter than when the insert is removed. Accordingly, longercigarette tubes can be compacted with tobacco using the same machine. Itis also pointed out that the length of the injection spoon 10 isdimensioned to hold tobacco for injection in the longer cigarette tubes.Accordingly, when the insert is in position, and shorter tubes are to befilled, the spoon exposes a shorter opening to receive tobacco therein.Although not limited thereto, the cigarette making machine of thepresent invention was designed to receive an insert permittingcigarettes of 84 millimeter and 100 millimeter lengths to be filled withcompacted tobacco.

[0041] Referring now to FIGS. 13A and 13B, there is shown a furtherembodiment of the arresting means wherein it is hereinshown as beingconstituted by a pivotal stop member 70. The pivotal stop member isdisposed over an inner surface 16′ of the bottom wall 16 and isdisplaceable thereover on a pivot 71. As hereinshown, the pivotal stopmember is a rectangular arm with the pivot 71 disposed adjacent a rearend 72 thereof which is in close proximity to the abutment wall 61. Thepivotal arm 70 is displaceable from an axially aligned position, asshown in solid line, and wherein a free front end 73 thereof faces theabutment means or the arresting projection 68 whereby to accommodatecigarette tubes of shorter length. When the pivotal arm 70 is displacedto a transverse position, as shown in phantom lines at 74, the side edge75 thereof faces the arresting projection 68 to accommodate cigarettetubes of longer length.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 13A, the pivot 71 has an engageable free end 75which is accessible from the outer surface 16″ of the bottom wall 16under the cigarette making machine. The engageable free end 75 has aslot 76 for engagement by a screwdriver tool whereby to displace thepivotal arm 70 to its two positions as illustrated in FIG. 13B.Imprinted on the outer surface 16″ is the letter “S” and the letter “L”disposed at ninety (90) degrees from one another whereby to indicate thedirection of the slot 76 in order to accommodate cigarette tubes whichare small or large.

[0043] It is within the ambit of the present invention to is cover anyobvious modifications provided these fall within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. A compact cigarette making machine for compacting andinserting a quantity of tobacco into a preformed cigarette tube, saidmachine comprising a base of upwardly open channel shape having forwardand rearward ends and an elongate tobacco injection spoon having a freeend and having a concave cross-section secured at a predeterminedelevated position within the base and stationary therewith, and atobacco receiving member slidably retained within the base and movableto a position extending longitudinally outwardly from the rearward endof the base, the tobacco receiving member having at its forward end awall carrying a hollow circular nipple to receive the open end of apreformed cigarette tube, the free end of the injection spoon passingthrough the hollow nipple during rearward movement of the tobaccoreceiving member with respect to the base, an abutment means associatedwith said rearward end of said base to arrest the travel of said tobaccoreceiving member, and an elongate slot provided in and extending throughthe tobacco receiving member to receive a quantity of tobacco, and acover pivotally secured to the tobacco receiving member and slidabletherewith with respect to the base, the cover being pivotally movablefrom an open position to a closed position overlying the tobaccoreceiving member, and a tobacco compacting projection having a lowersurface which is concave in transverse cross-section carried by thecover and which closes a top portion of the said elongate slot when thecover is in closed position to compact tobacco inserted in said slot andonto said tobacco receiving member, a cigarette tube retainer having acircular concave surface on the cover forwardly of the tobaccocompacting projection, the concave surface of the retainer bearingagainst a cigarette tube positioned on the nipple to hold the tube inposition during tobacco injection, retaining means in a lower portion ofsaid base for slidingly engaging said tobacco receiving member, saidcover having a pair of opposed inner tongues engagable under arespective elongated projection inside said open channel shape base fromopposed side walls thereof when said tobacco receiving member isretracted rearwardly over said base, and arresting means disposed overan inner surface of said bottom wall and spaced from said rearward endthereof for contact with an arresting projection of said tobaccoreceiving member to shorten the rearward displacement of said tobaccoreceiving member whereby cigarette tubes of a shorter predeterminedlength can be used with the same cigarette making machine.
 2. A compactcigarette making machine according to claim 1 wherein said arrestingmeans is constituted by a removable abutment insert positionable in anaperture formed in said bottom wall and spaced from said rearward endthereof.
 3. A compact cigarette making machine according to claim 2,wherein said aperture is formed in said bottom wall adjacent to saidabutment means, said abutment insert being frictionally retained in saidaperture and projecting in said open channel shape base in front of saidabutment means.
 4. A compact cigarette making machine according to claim3, wherein said abutment insert is a rectangular projecting body havingopposed flanges projecting from a lower surface thereof, said flangesconstituting finger-engaging means, said aperture being a rectangularaperture.
 5. A compact cigarette making machine according to claim 4,wherein an upper surface of said rectangular projecting body has aconcavity to permit passage of an arresting projection projecting from alower end of a front wall of said tobacco receiving member.
 6. A compactcigarette making machine according to claim 5, wherein said abutmentinsert has a predetermined length equivalent to the difference in lengthbetween two different length cigarette tubes to be filled with tobacco.7. A compact cigarette making machine according to claim 1, wherein saidwall carrying a hollow circular nipple is a removable partition.
 8. Acompact cigarette making machine according to claim 1, wherein saidabutment means is an abutment wall.
 9. A compact cigarette makingmachine according to claim 1, wherein said arresting means isconstituted by a pivotal stop member having two arresting surfaces andpivotally secured over an inner surface of said bottom wall on a pivot,and adjustment means to displace said pivotal stop member on said pivotto position one of said two arresting surfaces for arresting contactwith said arresting projection.
 10. A compact cigarette making machineaccording to claim 9, wherein said pivotal stop member is a pivotalrectangular arm with said pivot disposed adjacent a rear end of saidarm, said arm being displaceable from an axially aligned positionwherein a free front end thereof faces said arresting projection toaccommodate cigarette tubes of shorter length, to a transverse positionwherein a side edge thereof faces said arresting projection toaccommodate cigarette tubes of longer length.
 11. A compact cigarettemaking machine according to claim 9, wherein said adjustment means is anengageable free end of said pivot accessible from an outer surface ofsaid bottom wall under said cigarette making machine.
 12. A compactcigarette making machine according to claim 11, wherein said engageablefree end is a slotted free end for engagement by a screwdriver tool.